Danielle Arnwine is the Peace Corps Strategic Campus Recruiter. She engages with the Gainesville community to promote Peace Corps opportunities and its events on campus. Danielle is a resource for those interested in applying to help them create competitive application packages. In her role, Danielle can discuss and help identify what programs might be right for applicants and where volunteers are needed the most.
Danielle is a returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in Malawi (2018 – 2019) as a Secondary Education Teacher after graduating from Florida International University with a B.A. in English, a minor in International Relations, and a certificate in Global Black Studies. She has an M.A. in Public Administration from Florida State University and is currently working on her law degree at the University of Florida.
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Danielle Arnwine
Danielle Arnwine is the Peace Corps Strategic Campus Recruiter here at the International Center. In her role, Danielle advises students interested in applying for the Peace Corps about the ins and outs of the process, including helping to match students’ degrees and experiences with the right volunteering program: “I conceptualize my role as a resource for students. I help them look for applications that are interesting to them, help them prepare, help them connect to volunteers that have experience that they’re interested in.”
Born in Jacksonville, Danielle has collected degrees from around the state- BA in English with a minor in International Relations and a Certificate of Global Black Studies from Florida International University, a Master of Public Administration from Florida State University, and is currently completing her JD from the Levin College of Law, here at UF.
After undergrad, Danielle was interested in becoming a teacher: “I was doing a lot of tutoring—English as a second language in Little Havana (Miami) and then also with a tutoring group that specifically focuses on elementary or middle school age children with learning differences.” This interest led her to Peace Corps as a new outlet for her experience in teaching.
Her decision to join Peace Corps seemed spontaneous to her family, “My mom is originally from Haiti and both my parents were in the military,” said Danielle, “so they understand living in places that don’t have the same amenities as the United States—especially my Haitian family, they didn’t understand why I would want to leave America when they worked so hard to get here.” Her spontaneity was matched only by her determination, and soon, she was on her way to Africa.
She lived in Malawi for 18 months and taught secondary school. “It was the time in my life that I was the most present. I learned and appreciated their culture—what little they have, they’re always willing to give.” Her favorite memory of working with a student was with Georgina, a young woman she met in her sophomore year of high school. “We worked on a project sponsored by the U.S. Embassy—to do a two-week leadership training in the United States.” Georgina was able to get a passport and make the trip to the United States, two things that would be unusual for a young woman living in her part of the world, “I could tell it changed her mindset on things,” recalls Danielle, explaining how, in Georgina’s village, going to school and getting a career is a goal that drops precipitously each year as girls get older. “After graduation, she did go to university, and now she is starting to be a nurse.”
Danielle returned to pursue her master’s degree at FSU to find the Peace Corps community waiting to welcome her. “The return Peace Corps Volunteer community somehow found me,” Danielle recalls with a laugh, “they were literally like, ‘Hey! We’re here. Can’t wait to meet you!” It was at one of their potlucks that she met with a recruiter for the position she would eventually take at FSU. When she came to UF to pursue her JD, the same recruiter reached out when there was an opening for that same position here at UFIC.
“Peace Corps is something that’s on the table for everyone,” advises Danielle, “this idea that there is a right or wrong degree—I wish folks knew that’s totally not the case.” Danielle loved the Peace Corps experience and is very happy to be part of the Peace Corps community, “As long as you’re someone who continues to show an interest in international experiences, in exchange of ideas and cultures and someone who commits to service, we can help you submit a successful application.”
With all the free time of a third-year law student, Danielle likes to read, “Right now, I’m rereading The Count of Monte Cristo.” She also likes playing with her cats, Lucy and Roo, and trying to teach them tricks. “Roo’s just happy to be there,” says Danielle of her three-legged cat, “but Lucy is pretty good—you can tell her to go to her tower, and she’ll go.” Danielle also likes telling dad jokes, concluding our interview by asking, “Did you know that children are born with four kidneys? When they grow up, two of them become adult knees!”
Story by: Terrence Funke
Photos by: Christina Cozart
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